The invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming variant search strings for searching a database. Existing database searching systems allow the user to enter a search string and retrieve information matching the search string. An exemplary database search system allows the user to search a database of message IDs, error message, return codes, system codes, error codes, etc. to determine the nature of a computer problem. With the expansion of the Internet, search engines, knowledge data bases, and online publications this type of search string based searching of databases in increasing.
A drawback to this type of database searching is that the search string and/or the database contents are inaccurate due to commonly mistaken characters. Exemplary commonly mistaken characters are zero and O (upper or lower case) and one and l. A user entering a search string may erroneously mistake a zero for an O and enter a flawed search string. In addition, the data in the database may be flawed due to confusion of characters in the data entry process.
Users attempt to resolve this problem by entering multiple search strings and requesting a search on all the search strings (e.g., an OR operation). Alternatively, users can enter wildcard characters in the search string to represent any character. A drawback to both these methods is that it requires the user to determine the presence of commonly mistaken characters and adjust the search string accordingly.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for forming variant search strings. The method includes receiving a search string and parsing the search string to locate a mistaken search string character. A mistaken search string character is a character which is confused with other characters. A variant search string is formed in response to a presence of a mistaken search string character in the search string. The search string and variant search string may then be used to search a database.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention is a system for forming variant search strings. The system includes a user interface for receiving a search string. A variant search string generator parses the search string to locate a mistaken search string character. The mistaken search string character is a character which is confused with other characters. The variant search string generator forms a variant search string in response to a presence of a mistaken search string character in the search string.